This invention relates to flotation processes for recovering minerals from their ores. In another aspect of the invention, it relates to recovery of metal sulfide minerals from their ores. In another aspect of the invention, it relates to the use of flotation agents and recovery of minerals from their ores.
Froth flotation is a process for concentrating minerals from ores. In a froth flotation process, the ore is crushed and wet ground to obtain a pulp. Additives such as mineral flotation or collecting agents and frothing agents are added to the pulp to assist in subsequent flotation steps and the valuable minerals are separated from the undesired, or gangue, portions of the ore. After flotation agents are added, the pulp is aerated to produce a froth. The minerals which adhere to the bubbles of froth are skimmed or otherwise removed and the mineral-adhering froth is collected and further processed to obtain the desired minerals. The essence of the present invention is to provide an alternative family of flotation agents for metal sulfide minerals.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide compounds suitable as flotation agents for metal sulfide minerals for use in ore flotation processes. It is another object of this invention to provide a method for recovering metal sulfide minerals from their ores using ore flotation processes. It is still another object of this invention to provide ore separation processes employing flotation agents.
Other aspects, objects and the various advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading this specification and the appended claims.